1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid droplet ejection apparatus and a method for manufacturing a device.
2. Related Art
As a method for forming a device pattern, there is known a liquid droplet ejection method (an ink-jet method), in which a pattern is formed on a substrate by ejecting a droplet of a functional liquid. For example, JP-A-1999-248926 discloses a technical example relating to a liquid droplet ejection apparatus (an ink-jet apparatus) that forms a pattern on a substrate based on the liquid droplet ejection method.
JP-A-1999-248926 is an example of related art.
The liquid droplet ejection apparatus includes an ejection head for ejecting a liquid droplet and a container connected to the ejection head via a flow path to form a space for containing a functional liquid. Conventionally, in order to suppress a leakage of the functional liquid or the like from an ejection outlet of the ejection head, for example, a valve mechanism such as a self-sealing valve is provided in the flow path connected to the ejection head and used to adjust a pressure of an inside space of the ejection head. In the use of the valve mechanism, for example, there can occur a problem such as a clogging of the flow path of the valve mechanism due to a part of the functional liquid (e.g. a solid component or a solute of the functional liquid). In that case, the liquid droplet ejection apparatus cannot smoothly eject a liquid droplet. Additionally, the part of the functional liquid clogging in the flow path thereof becomes a foreign substance that can deteriorate the performance of a device to be manufactured. Furthermore, when the valve mechanism has a complicated structure, the manufacturing cost of the apparatus can be increased and its maintenance tasks can be complicated. Moreover, depending on the structure of the container with the space for containing the functional liquid, physical properties of the functional liquid can be changed.